Road-cart



I (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. M. SMITH.

ROAD CART. No. 454,157. Patented June 16,1891.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. M. SMITH.

ROAD GART.

N0. 454,157. Patented June 16,1891.

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' struction.

" UNITED STATES LORING M. SMITH, OF ROMEO, MICHIGAN.

ROAD-CART.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 454,157, dated June 16, 1891.

Application filed June 19, 1890. Renewed May 18, 1891. Serial No. 393,077. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, LORING M. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Romeo, county of Maoomb, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Road-Carts; and Ideolare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Inzthe drawings, Figure} is a side elevation of the road-cart embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 shows a variation in the form of the rear springs. Fig. at shows a portion of the shafts and axle, illustrating a variation in the con- Fig. 5 is a part in detail.

In carrying out the invention, A represents the body, B the axle, and O the shafts, of my road-cart.

I have illustrated my invention in connection with what is known as the phaetoncart and double-bent shafts-that is, a cart in which the shafts adjacent to the side of the body are horizontal, the horizontal portion terminating adjacent to the axle.

D is a semi-elliptic spring attached to the rear portion of the body and supporting the same.

F is a C-spring, there being one for each side of the vehicle, rigidly engaged by a suitable clip at f to the axle, the forward portion extending horizontally from the axle to a point adjacent to the end of the semi-elliptic spring E, with which it is suitably connected,

while the rearportion curves upward and forward in the form of a C to a point adjacent to the end of the semi-elliptic spring D, where the two are connected together. The forward end of the C-spring is connected to the semielliptic spring E by what is known as the barrel-shackle d, while the rear end has the shackle e engaged to it. This shackle e is formed, as shown in Fig. 5, with one or more hooks e projecting from the inner face of it and engaged to the C-spring F by a suitable bolt. A loop 6 on the end of the cross-spring D may be made either to engage this hook c or to rest on the shackle, thus providing an adjustment for the rear portion of the body.

G is a cross-piece extending between the arms H and rigidly engaged thereto, to which the horizontal portion of the C-springF is engaged, as at f.

H is an arm rigidly engaged at h to the axle, the rear portion extending upward in the form of aloop h, as shown in Fig. 2,while the forward portion extends out horizontally and is pivoted to the shafts at h adjacent to where the cross-bar G is attached. Playing freely in the loop 7L of the arm H is the end of the shaft.

J J are coil-springs, one located above and the other beneath the shaft, so that while the end of the shaft may have a free vertical motion it will be cushioned by the springs.

It is of course obvious that instead of the coil-springs, as shown, I might employ leafsprings, such as illustrated in Fig. i, they serving the same purpose as the coil-springs. It will be seen that by this construction what is popularly termec horse motion is almost entirely done away with, since, the end of the shafts being free to play up and down, the up-and-down motion of the horse is not transmitted to the body of the vehicle and afar easier riding-cart is produced than has heretofore been the case.

In Fig. 3 is shown a variation in the position of the C-springs. The latter instead of extending rearwardly and upward, as in Figs. 1 and 2, are extended laterally and upward, and the forward end of the body is suitably engaged with the shafts. This manner of attaching the C-springs is of course the equivalent of the first named and would be contemplated by my invention.

What I claim is 1. In a roadcart, the combination, with the axle, the body, and springs supported on said axle for sustaining the body, of arms secured to and extended forward from the axle, a cross-bar extended between said arms and rigidly secured thereto, the shafts pivoted to the forward ends of said arms and having their rear free ends terminating above the axle, and springs bearing on the rear ends of said shafts to cushion the same in their vertical motion, substantially as described.

2. In a road-cart, the combination, with the axle, arms rigidly engaged thereto and extending forward therefrom, and shafts pivoted to said arms at their forward ends and the free ends of the shafts terminating adjacent to the axle, of springs located above and beneath the free ends of said shafts and adapted to bear on the same, whereby the motion of the free ends is cushioned, substantially as described.

3. In a road-cart, the combination, with the axle and the arms H, engaged to said axle and having the upright loops h, of the shafts pivoted to the forward ends of the arms II, the rear ends of the shafts playing in said loops, and coil-springs located in said loops above and beneath said free ends, substantially as described. 

